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School trips from Brum.

farmerdave

master brummie
My first school trip to an area outside Birmingham was in 1958 to Kew Gardens. This would have been from Camp Hill GS, Kings Heath, and 33 of us were on the trip. I guess that this would have been before the M1 was built as I have recorded in my diary that we went via Stratford-upon-Avon, Woodstock, Oxford By-pass, High Wycombe, Slough and London Airport. The journey took 3 and a half hours each way and it rained a lot while we were there. I particularly remember seeing all the cacti in one of the glass-houses and also the view of the Pagoda. The standard entry price for an adult in 1958 was one old penny. The entry price to Kew Gardens today, and I was there today, is £15. Of course, the trees have grown significantly since 1958 and there is more to see. One thing that I do not remember from my school trip is the noise of low-flying jets, every two minutes, coming in for a landing at Heathrow. Dave.
 
My first school trips were in the early sixties to Drayton Manor park. Around 1964/5 to watch the England school boys match at wembley stadium. I think it was Stockland coaches who took us, but don't really remember the rout, other than we would stop at a service station called the Bee Hive for egg and chips.
 
Here is a photo of our school trip to London Zoo in 1947. A coach took us down the A5 with a stop at Towcester where I used my penknife to carve my initials on a tree. Dinner in a large British Restaurant in London, it was a good day out !
At least four lads in the photo emigrated to Australia with their families a year or two later ....
Visit_London_Zoo_1947.jpg
 
My first school trips were in the early sixties to Drayton Manor park. Around 1964/5 to watch the England school boys match at wembley stadium. I think it was Stockland coaches who took us, but don't really remember the rout, other than we would stop at a service station called the Bee Hive for egg and chips.
When I worked for Stocklands the schoolboys international was a really big deal with all 18 of our coaches being fully booked. As the lucky mechanic I used to follow behind in the service van in case of breakdowns etc. Always remember one driver, Arthur Higgs, told his passengers that when it came to departure time his coach would be the one with a broom sticking up through the roof light so it would be easy to find, worked ok for the first year but the second year found most of the other drivers had adopted Arthur's idea resulting in total chaos.
 
1962 from Sheldon Heath Comp. Coach to Dover, ferry to Calais, train to Rudesheim ( i think) via Cologne. Walked down the Rhine staying in Youth Hostels. Probably too young to appreciate it. Rhine boat back to Cologen. Total cost £17 ten shillings. Small group with a couple of teachers, probably wouldnt be allowed now.
 
I can remember two school trips, one was to the Houses Of Parliament, and was shown around by two of the Birmingham MP’s, and the other one was to Weston Super Mare, this was more interesting as it was a joint trip with the local girls school
 
Here is a photo of our school trip to London Zoo in 1947. A coach took us down the A5 with a stop at Towcester where I used my penknife to carve my initials on a tree. Dinner in a large British Restaurant in London, it was a good day out !
At least four lads in the photo emigrated to Australia with their families a year or two later ....
Visit_London_Zoo_1947.jpg
Enjoyed seeing this photograph. Unlike most school photographs, where pupils sit or stand in rows, this one seems to retain some individuality in each of the boys. Also reminds me of the big decision as to when one should switch from short to long trousers. I think I was 2 months off 14 years old when I switched. Dave.
 
Yes Dave - the switch from short to long trousers seemed to be a big occasion in those days and I can remember going out for the first time in long trousers. I'm in short trousers in the pic but I must have changed not long after that date because I joined the Air Training Corps and loved marching around in uniform.
 
Trips I recall, which started from Solihull railway station, were to Paris, France, The Festival of Britain in London and Battersea Festival Gardens, The Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon and a road safety quiz in Coventry.
There was a tour of parts of the City, by double deck BCT bus, which went around the better decorated areas for the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. That was not a school affair but arranged by the organisers of a neighbourhood party.
 
My school trip from Yew Tree road junior school was to Weston Super Mare. Couldn't see the sea for mud!!. Had a donkey ride on the one bit of sand there was and Patty Jones fell over on the station platform getting splinters in her legs. I went home covered in mud!!. No health and safety in those days. They were good ones though. Another trip was to Windsor castle. A photo of my late friend Wendy Johnston at Windsor Castle.
 

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Cambridge was the venue for my second full-day school trip while I was at Camp Hill. This was in July 1961, shortly before I left school. Left school at 6.30am. Stopped at the American Military Cemetery and Memorial near Cambridge (see photo). This memorial is for some of the American Servicemen who died in WW2 and includes airmen who operated out of the UK on missions over Europe and also sailors on North Atlantic Convoys. Two famous people commemorated are Joseph P Kennedy Jr, the elder brother of JFK, and Glenn Miller, the Bandleader. Went rowing later on the River Cam (did not go on a punt). Looked round St. John's and Trinity Colleges. Stopped at Northampton on the way back. Got back home at 9.30pm. Dave.

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Like Alan, my first school trip was to the Festival of Britain and the Battersea Festival Gardens in 1951. We went by train from Birmingham, and I remember being worried about going on a tube for the first time as I didn't know what it entailed!

Judy
 
My first school trip was to the Festival of Britain in 1951. The entire school (St Thomas Sec. Mod. Erdington) left by motor coach from Sutton Road, Erdington. It took 8 coaches to take us all down the A45 and the A5. Lunching at a large canteen in St Albans. We were deposited outside Regents Park underground station and went on by underground to the South Bank. I have always been very grateful to the staff for giving us a once in a lifetime experience.
In 1952, we went by coach to Maidenhead, had lunch and boarded aboat down the Thames to Windsor for a tour of the castle.
 
Re post 12. My class at Billesley School Juniors also went to the Festival of Britain in 1951. Unfortunately, my parents couldn't afford the fare so I missed out. There were 2 of us left in the class that day.
 
I do not recall having to pay to go to the FofB, but it was 63 years ago so memory could be suspect. The travel arrangements in London were all provided by London Transport buses.

However I remember quite vividly the train being stopped at Princes Risborough on the journey home and being told there was only water to drink and that had to be paid for. Maybe the more fortunate had bottled drinks with them but other had to pay or go without. I believe many went without - after all a day at the festival site on the South Bank and then the Battersea Pleasure Gardens later in the day must have emptied most school kids pockets.
 
In about 1954 we were booked to go by train and boat to Interlaken. A RAF war time former colleague of the school teacher who was organising the trip was by then in the air charter business. He had an Avro York flying out empty from Blackbushe to Basle and for no extra charge to us would we like to fly. Would we like to fly! Became entranced with Switzerland and have been back a good few times
 
1962 from Sheldon Heath Comp. Coach to Dover, ferry to Calais, train to Rudesheim ( i think) via Cologne. Walked down the Rhine staying in Youth Hostels. Probably too young to appreciate it. Rhine boat back to Cologen. Total cost £17 ten shillings. Small group with a couple of teachers, probably wouldnt be allowed now.
Hi sheldontony ,
Yes there were some great school trips I went on one to Switzerland around 1963 when I was in lower school at the sheldon heath comp , we took a coach to the channel ferry stopping in France then onto Aeschi, Switzerland, stayed in wonderful hotel typical swiss chalet with balconies overlooking fields and mountains with cows that had bells round their necks . We went up the mountains travelling on cable cars , visited an ice palace that had been cut in the mountain, went on to Bern, visited a lake at Interlaken, and we shopped for souvenirs for family. Great trip for 13 year old! Total cost 27 pounds!!!
 
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I left school before the Festival of Britain, our school trips from Peckham Road were arranged by the science teacher (FH Payne) so we went to the Round Oak steel works, Kingsbury coal mine, another coal mine that I can't at the mo remember the name of and the BSA works.
The only holiday destination was a day out in Blackpool by coach...………..a long day.
 
I can only remember going on two school trips, these were from Wheelers Lane in the 50s. We did a tour around Cadbury's, I recall and also a trip to Liverpool/New Brighton. I still hold the rapt attention of Scousers when I tell them that I once saw the Overhead Railway when it was still in use. (Of course, they call it "The Docker's Umbrella").
 
That's reminded me of a long forgotten trip to Liverpool from Aldridge Road School in the late 1940s. I remember we went on an Overhead Railway along the docks, then through the Mersey Tunnel spending some time in New Brighton, and then returning to Liverpool on a ferry across the Mersey.
 
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